A state jail inspector’s report shows more changes have to be made to the Hennessey Police Department’s jail. That’s what Police Chief Hank Weber told town board members in a special meeting Wednesday morning before they approved spending $15,000 for improvements. Those new costs include mounted food pass hardware locks for the cells, plus intercom and telephone equipment in the dispatch office. Before the board settled on $15,000, Mayor Mike Shaw said, “You mean we’ve got to spend another $10,000 on the $150,000 jail?” The chief said, “I still don’t have the official report yet.” He also didn’t give the board the preliminary report. “They did the inspection two months ago,” said Weber. “Hell, I’m going to go over there and let them feed me three times a day,” said the mayor. The jail menu is a cinnamon roll and Banquet TV dinners, said the chief. Shaw then reneged on taking up residence at the jail. He continued to comment about the costs and the more than four years it has taken to try and get the jail certified. Shaw has served on the board for 10 years but did not file for re-election, so his board term expires in May. The jail certification will allow the town to hold prisoners for up to 10 days instead of them being transferred to the Kingfisher County Jail. The town pays the county for holding prisoners. Currently, Hennessey may hold prisoners for only 12 hours before they are taken to the county jail. “We’ve got to do it,” said Trustee Wes Hardin about the added costs. “I know,” said Shaw. “We’ve got so much money in it now that we have to do it.” “We can’t stop now,” said Trustee Keith Meek. Trustee Clif Vogt took a minute before he cast his yes vote on the matter for the 4-0 approval. Vice Mayor Bert Gritz was absent. There were more comments about state inspectors coming up with new requirements each time they came to town instead of listing all of them at once.

Staff at the board table Wednesday were Town Administrator Tiffany Tillman and Public Works Director Curtis Turner.

The police chief was in the audience along with Deputy Police Chief Ed Cangiano who was hired in December.

New Police Vehicle

The board approved the $42,070 purchase of a 2018 Ford Explorer for the police department. The bid was from Dana Safety Supply, Greensboro, N.C.

“We will have to put a radio in it,” said Weber.

The radio cost is $1,409 from Stalker Radar, Richardson, Texas.

The cost of having the police emblems on the vehicle is $365 from Grafix Shoppe, Eagan, Minn.

“Yeah,” said the mayor, “we always like to go out of town to do business instead of doing it right here.”

The chief said when they started using the Minnesota company that Hennessey didn’t have a sign company.

Sewer Project Snag

Turner told the board they had another problem with the sewer line extension project to the north side of SH 51.

“We need an 18-inch extension for drainage,” he said. “It’s holding up the work. … It’s an extension on the top of the lift station.”

Instead of paying an estimated amount for the added work, Turner said he wanted to pay the construction company for their time and materials, which the board voted to do, but not without discussion.

Turner said a needed part is late in getting in and the construction company is anxious to go on with other projects.

Shaw said, “It just seems like everytime we have an engineer it costs more than the original bid.”

Turner countered, “The land isn’t the same grade that it was when we had it engineered a few years ago.

“Since then, there has been lots of building on the north side of 51 and that’s changed the grading.

“Every job has its problems,” Turner said.

“I know,” said Shaw, noting he was just complaining about the potential costs, which could exceed more than $7,000.

Abilez Construction of McLoud won the bid in late July on phase I of the project. Abilez was low bidder at $277,296 out of seven bidders.